Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.14.3
यज्ञादयो या: कथिता: पौरुष्यस्तनवो नृप ।
मन्वादयो जगद्यात्रां नयन्त्याभि: प्रचोदिता: ॥ ३ ॥
yajñādayo yāḥ kathitāḥ
[yajnaadayo yaah kathitaah]
pauruṣyas tanavo nṛpa
[paurushyas tanavo nripa]
manv-ādayo jagad-yātrāṁ
[manv-aadayo jagad-yaatraam]
nayanty ābhiḥ pracoditāḥ
[nayanty aabhih prachoditaah]
Word-for-word
yajña-ādayaḥ
—
the Lord’s incarnation known as Yajña and others
yāḥ
—
who
kathitāḥ
—
already spoken of
pauruṣyaḥ
—
of the Supreme Person
tanavaḥ
—
incarnations
nṛpa
—
O King
manu-ādayaḥ
—
the Manus and others
jagat-yātrām
—
universal affairs
nayanti
—
conduct
ābhiḥ
—
by the incarnations
pracoditāḥ
—
being inspired.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yajñādayo yāḥ kathitāḥ
yajña-ādayaḥ
the Lord’s incarnation known as Yajña and others
yāḥ
who
kathitāḥ
already spoken of
pauruṣyas tanavo nṛpa
pauruṣyaḥ
of the Supreme Person
tanavaḥ
incarnations
nṛpa
O King
manv-ādayo jagad-yātrāṁ
manu-ādayaḥ
the Manus and others
jagat-yātrām
universal affairs
nayanty ābhiḥ pracoditāḥ
nayanti
conduct
ābhiḥ
by the incarnations
pracoditāḥ
being inspired.
O King, I have already described to you various incarnations of the Lord, such as Yajña. The Manus and others are chosen by these incarnations, under whose direction they conduct the universal affairs.
Purport
The Manus execute the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His various incarnations.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
O King! I have already described to you various incarnations of the Lord, such as Yajña. The Manus and others are chosen by these incarnations, under whose direction they conduct the universal affairs.
This verse explains the incarnations who control.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The Manus and others are chosen by the Lord's incarnations, under whose direction they conduct universal affairs. Even cosmic rulers are middle managers. Authority flows downward from the Lord, not horizontally from peer to peer.
Reflection Questions
- Where do I treat authority as a horizontal negotiation rather than a vertical delegation?
- Whose 'direction' am I receiving for the role I currently hold — and is it from the right source?
My note
Source: vedabase.io